VENICE, FL, October 23, 2017 - Venice’s awesome dive club came together again at the South Jetty on Sunday October 22, 2017 and pulled a monstrous amount of debris up from the depths.

Over 500 pounds of marine debris was taken from the water by this wonderful group, including 42 cast nets, 3 traps, and over 100 pounds of lead. The weirdest find was a cell phone with a heavy metal bolt taped to it (makes you wonder doesn’t it). Other interesting items were wine goblets, a plastic snowflake, 5-pound dumbbells, and a full tackle box encrusted with barnacles.

It’s amazing how the nets, once they are down there, start entangling all kinds of fishing rods, poles, lures and trash. Stone crabs and other marine life that were inadvertently brought up with the debris were gently returned back to the water.

ReelCycle partnered with Sarasota Bay Watch and Suncoast Reef Rovers of Venice on this project. Important safety support came from the City of Venice Police and County Sheriff’s Office who provided an officer and boat to keep the divers safe. Thirty-eight people volunteered – 13 SCUBA divers, one snorkeler, 5 kayakers, 2 canoeists and a big group helping from on land.